History

Kitsap Mental Health Services has been a leader in the field of community mental health and substance use disorders since 1978. Created by the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners, KMHS was established as a not-for-profit, state designated community mental health center. We have expanded over time to meet growing community needs and now offer a full range of crisis, inpatient, outpatient and residential behavioral health care. Last year, we served more than 5,600 children, families and adults throughout our county!

Much of our work is possible because of strong community partnerships, including with medical and substance use treatment providers, social service and housing providers, jail services, the courts, law enforcement, and schools.

We began with child and family outpatient services, and soon added adult outpatient services. By the 1990’s, we had opened youth and adult 24/7 inpatient evaluation and treatment units on our Almira Drive campus in Bremerton.

Also in the 1990’s we were among the first to create housing specifically addressing the needs of people with chronic, serious mental illnesses, receiving local and state funding to purchase twelve houses throughout the county. Partnerships with the Bremerton Housing Authority and with Housing Kitsap have facilitated the expansion of housing services.

In 2022, we opened Pendleton Place in partnership with the Bremerton Housing Authority. The 72-unit supported housing complex is providing permanent homes to people who have experienced long-term homelessness along with mental health or substance use disorders.

KMHS has served as a statewide model for implementing evidence- based mental health programs and strives to deliver the very best care to all our clients. We partner with Peninsula Community Health Services to offer medical and dental care on our Bremerton main campus.

In 2018, we opened the Kitsap County Crisis Triage Center adjacent to KMHS’ main campus in Bremerton. The center provides short-term stabilization and crisis services for adults who need 24/7 care, but do not need the level of treatment provided at an inpatient psychiatric unit. The Crisis Triage Center is funded through local and state tax dollars, and opened at the same time as our 28-day substance use residential treatment facility, Pacific Hope and Recovery Center.

We are one of the largest non-profit employers in Kitsap County, employing more than 600 individuals who are committed to bringing hope and healing to our community.